February

1795-1869

Personal Physician to the Maharaja of Lahore

After setting up several medical practices in Jerusalem and Damascus, Dr. Honigberger arrived in Baghdad and learnt of certain French officers who had been serving in Persia ready to embark for the Punjab where Maharaja Ranjit Singh was enlisting various European officers into his services. Having arrived in Lahore in 1829, his first patient was Achilles Allard, the adopted son of General Allard. While in Punjab, he also had the rare opportunity to witness the wedding of the Maharaja with Rani Gul Begum at Amritsar. In 1833 feeling homesick he decided to return home overland via Afghanistan. While in Europe, having learnt that the Maharaja was severely ill, he hastily returned back to Lahore via Egypt in the company of Colonel Francois Mouton. On his arrival he found the Maharaja in a very critical condition, only able to communicate with hand gestures and signals but treated the Maharaja until his death in 1839. It is interesting to note that during the first Anglo-Sikh war, Dr. Honigberger treated several British casualties that had been taken prisoners by the Sikh army at Buddowal. In recognition and appreciation for his benevolent services the Government of India awarded him a pension of 500 rupees to be paid in Europe which he enjoyed till his death. He was respectively known as ‘Martin Sahib’ by the court nobles and the ‘Personal physician to the King of Lahore’ had died from weakness of old age at his ancestral home in Brasov, now situated in Romania.